Eduardo Ramos, Extraordinary Designer Brings Spanish and Latin American Elements to Fashion and Dance at Vancouver Fashion Week - A Grand Finale to the Evening of April 28, 2024

Originally from Mexico, Eduardo's designs reflect his cultural background, its costumes (lace, beading, pleats, matador hats and jackets, flamenco ruffled dresses) dance, folkloric traditions, and the music that accompanies the models as they move, and this time, dance on the runway. As soon as his name comes up on the screen, the front row, especially is camera ready and leaning forward in anticipation. Eduardo has shown previously, here and also with Global Fashion Collective, at Fashion Weeks in Paris, London, Milan and New York City. At Vancouver Fashion Week, we are fortunate to see international and local Designers, and here, we can meet ours, get to see them at work, especially at the fashion schools, like Lasalle College Vancouver, from which Eduardo graduated and continues to consult with students on their collections and presentations at VFW. 

Eduardo's latest collection, Ephemera, reflects personal interests, a tribute to his mother and her love of the orchid, (purple and white) and to his childhood memories, his love of history, Spanish and Latin American, in particular. There is also the theme of clothing as multifacted, multilayered, exquisitely detailed, multi functional and evolving pieces. For example, there is a classic men's or women's trench coat, that has beaded sleeves and upper back, with pleats, that to me, speak of a very creative amplification of just one kick pleat, making the coat, much more dynamic and functional. The trench goes from noir detective to 'noir detective on stage'instantly. This is what great design does; it makes you want to put it on and go to far off places. Another example of this is the white suit that gets dressed up with an beaded collar, close fitting but with powerful shoulders, tux pockets,detailed cuffs and one pant leg pleated and the other plain. The purple (orchid) dress is fitted but flounced/ruffled on the bottom of the skirt. It is not a decoration but constructed to move and refect different shades of purple. It is balanced by smaller ruffles, almost flowers, that balance the whole look. Love the headpieces, which speak to me of matador hats, vertical, rather than horizontal, that show architectural training, (yes, Designer/Architect) in their construction.The colours, cream, purple, black and white have never looked this dramatic! I realize that I have never worn an outfit of just one colour...I might, now! This is a celebration of the creative mind and its product, an insistence of appreciating and closely examining beauty and its transience. It is also about slow fashion and taking time to make love and skill, priorities. Think about the stages of Orchid growth and the grand finale: the bloom. A magnificent collection, Eduardo! 

Find him at Eduardo Fashion Studio and on his website. Two more interviews with lovely photos and more about Eduardo Ramos, can be found at www.oliobymarilyn.com. You can also see my Reel here. And then...there was the Dance! Eduardo made the costume for Sidney Chuckas, who danced a mesmerizing performance of transition and transformation. A white orchid grows and is transformed. This is the same process for humans. The costume is gender neutral, with a collared shirt and a long train. Suit to dress from clothing to costume to culture and story through Design and Dance. Transition to transformation. The creative mind, in all of its stages, beginning with the concept and passion and struggle to create and to savour each stage, no matter how difficult.Eduardo and Sidney met on a collaborative campaign and with shared interests in fashion and expression through performance, they brought this to the vancouver fashion week stage, in a fabulous culmination of 6 days style. So many partnerships and collaborations, this one with Ballet BC and Vancouver Fashion Week and a fine representation of talent from Lasalle College Vancouver. Much gratitude and appreciation, all!